Radiator shutter controlling device



April 26, 1932. lw. A. EDWARDS 1,855,476

RADIATOR SHUTTER GONTROLLING DEVICE Fnednec. 13, 1929 l lzmmm. @mm I'Patented Apr. 26, 1932 UNITED STATILSY PATENT ,OFFICE WILLIAM A.EDWARDS, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 STEWART-WARNER COB-'.PORATION, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION O-F VIRGINIA vRADIATORSHUTIER CONTROLLING DEVICE Application` led December 13, 1929. SerialNo. 413,798.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an improved means foroperating the shutter or equivalent means controlling atmosphere accessto the radiatoriof an internal 4:i combustion engine Vwhich shall causethe shutter to be opened and rclosed according to the requirement of theengine for cooling by such atmosphere access and circulation. Itconsists in the elementsV and features of construction shown anddescribed as indicated in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a partly diagrammatic v-iew showing in side relation astructure embodying this invention in its position on the enginerelative to the radiator and the radiator shutter.

Figure 2 is a similar View showing the parts concerned in the inventionin a different position.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the construction shown in Figure lembodying a modification, the parts being shown in the position ofFigure 1.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 with thel parts in the positionshown in Figure 2, and showing a flow-restricting device in the pressurecommunicating passage.

Figure 5 is a section atl the line 5-5 on Figure 4.

The devices heretofore most commonly employed for regulating `atmosphereaccess to the exterior of an internal combustion engine radiator havebeen constructed and arranged for responding to the change in enginetemperature by movement of parts connected with the radiator shutter foropening the same more or less according as the engine temperatureexceeds more'or less a predetermined temperature at which it is assumedno atmosphere cooling is required. This method of graduating shutteropening is properly named thermostatic as being effected by means ofthermostatically Voperated connections.

The present invention avoids certainV deects in and objections to thethermostatic method, substituting for thermcstatic devices forgraduating the shutteropening means operated by engine pressure for, thelike purpose,

In a preferred form ofthe invention, there is mounted iixedly inconnection with a'cylinder of the engine an expansible 'and -con- 55tractible chamber, that is, Va chamber having part of its Awall `movablefor lenlarging and reducing the fluid capacity of the chamber; such forexample, as -a piston lcylinder or a chamber having a diaphragm wall orof bellows form, such cham-ber having restricted communication with theengine cylinder 'for building up the pressure in the :chamber `in thesuccessive and rapidly recurring pressure phases of the engine cycle,the restricted communication, without anyvalve control, operating toadmit the pressure in the pressure phase more rapidly than it will bevented back to the engine cylinder in the suction phase so long as thepressure developed in the eXpansible and reducible chamber issubstantially less than the engine pressure.

And when the engine stops ythe Vpressure in the expansible and reduciblechamber is gradually vented back tothe engine cylinder in which thepressure Vapproximates `atmospheric while the engine is at rest. i

The expansilole and reducible chamber is constructed or'provided withmeansfor Vautomatically reducing capacity and yieldingly restrictingexpansion; and the moving 'wall by means of whose movabil-ity it visrendered changeable in capacity is connected with the shutter operatingmeans of the radiator in the manner necessary for adjusting the shutterin opening direction by Vthe expansion of the expansible and reduciblechamber, and in the opposite direction bythe contraction of saidchamber.

It has been `demonstratedthat under usual running conditions of an.engine operating a motor vehicle on `the road and exposed to Wind andatmospheric temperature changes and to Ithe .chan-ges of atmosphericpressure 95 on the radiator due to `changes of speed and stopping andstanding at rest, with the lengine idling, the necessary changes inshutter opening and closing for varying .atmospheric access -to theradiator correspond quite closeroo ly to change in engine pressure inthe pressure phases of the engine cycle.

When the engine is running at high speed and developing high pressure inthe pressure phases, the effect on engine temperature makes increasedopening of the shutter proper; and when the engine slows down, thepressure becoming less, the shutter is properly operated for reducingatmosphere access to substantially the same degree as the enginepressure has become reduced.

And when the engine is stopped, and the vehicle comes to rest,thepressure which has been built up in the expansible and reduciblechamber gradually declines, causing the radiator shutter to be graduallyclosed, conserving engine heat and keeping it ready to start promptlywhen the throttle is again opened. y

Referring to the drawings :-An engine cylinder is indicated at A; andmounted in fixed position on the engine is an expansible and reduciblechamber, B, of the bellows or accordian type, that is, having itsenclosing wall circumferentially corrugated rendering it resilientlyeXpansible by internal fluid pressure and tending to contract uponreduction of pressure. This chamber is ccnnected for Huid pressurecommunication with the cylinder, A, by a tube, C, of small flow capacityand preferably of substantial length for increasing the restrictionwhich it imposes on pressure communication and fluid fiow from theengine cylinder to the expansible and reducible chamber, B.

The movable head, 20, of the chamber, B, has a stem, 2l, to which thereis positively connected an operating rod, 30, which eX- tends forward tothe vicinity of the radiator where it is connected as seen at 31, withthe arm, 40, of a bell-crank lever whose arm, 4l, is operativelyconnected with the shutter operating bar, 50, by which the shuttersystem is operated for opening upon the forward thrust of the rod, 30,and for closing upon the retraction of said rod. According` to afamiliar construction of radiator shutter systems, a spring, 60, reactson the shutter rod, 30, or an element of the system for closing movementof the shutter, and accordingly when the pressure declines in thechamber, B, the resilient reaction of that chamber cooperates with thereaction of the shutter spring for operating the shutter system inclosing direction.

In Figures 3 and i there is illustrated a modification which may befound useful under some circumstances or on some types of engines. Themodilication consists in making the shutter operating connection fromthe chamber, B, consist of two relatively slidable,-as showntelescoping,-members, 8O and 8l, which are provided with means forlatching them together so as to operateas a unit in the thrust andwithdrawal for operating the shutter system. As shown, this latchingmeans consists of a rack, 82, on the member, 80, and a dog, 83, mountedon the member, 81, by means of a bi-metallic arm, 84C, secured at oneend to the member, 8l, and carrying the dog, 83, at its free end whichtends to vibrate toward and from the members, 80 and 8l, as saidthermostatic bimetallic bar experiences change of temperature causingdifferent rate of expansion and contraction of the two metal elements ofwhich it is formed, said elements being selected to adapt the bar to beflexed for carrying the dog, 83,` into engagement with the rack, 82,upon rise of temperature of the thermostatic bar beyond a predetermineddegree, and withdrawing it from engagement with the rack on decline oftemperature back to said degree. i

Upon consideration it may be understood that this modification willserve the purpose of preventing the expansion of the chamber, B, causedby engine pressure from operating the shutter system unless and untilthe thermostatic bar attains the predetermined temperature. And thisthermostatic device is mounted in position to experience and respond tochanges of engine temperature, so that with this device applied to theapparatus, the functioning of the engine-pressureoperated shuttercontrol will be limited to conditions resulting in engine temperatureexceeding that which will raise the temperature of the thermostaticelement beyond the predetermined degree.

In Figure 4t there is illustrated a flow restricting Valve device whichmay be interposed in the pressure communication between the enginecylinder and the expansible and reducible element for restricting thefluid flow back toward the engine cylinder relatively to the flow fromthe engine cylinder toward said element. This device consists of avalve, 90, which opens toward the chamber and seats toward the enginecylinder, said valve having an aperture, 91, which is not closed by theseating of the valve and whose area. for fluid flow is a small fractionof that of the valve port and passage for fluid past the valve at theopen position of the latter. The manner in which this valve device willoperate for ensuring the building up of pressure in the chamber requiresno eX- planation.

In practice under usual running conditions and customary engineconstruction, such specialmeans for the purpose indicated are notneeded, the narrowly restricted passage of substantial length or evenquite short serving the purpose of retaining the pressure in the chamberin the interval of the pressure strokes to a suiciently large proportionof the pressure communicated to effect the building up of the pressurenearly to that developed in the engine cylinder in the pressure phase ofthe engine cycle. I Wish it understood that While I have shown only aconstruction in which the energizing fluid is that derived from anengine cylinder or manifold, the invention is not limited to theutilization of the engine operating fluid, but on the contrary, mayemploy any fluid transmitting pressure derived from the operation of theengine.

I claim:

l. In combination With means for regulating atmospheric access to theexterior of the radiator of an internal combustion engine, a devicecomprising a member Which is movable and connected for deriving movementby fluid pressure due to running of the engine, and operatingconnections from said movable member for adjusting theatmosphere-accessregulating means of the radiator, said operatingconnections comprising two relatively movable parts, one positivelyconnected With the fluidpressure-actuated movable member and the otherwith the atmosphere-access-regulat-ing means; means for disengageablyconnecting said relatively movable parts to cause the first to actuatethe second, and temperature-responsive means exposed to enginetemperature arranged for engaging said parts for movement together, uponpredetermined temperature-caused action of said temperatureresponsiveelement.

2. In combination With means for regulating atmosphere access to theexterior of the radiator of an internal combustion engine, a devicecomprising a movable member and connected for deriving movement of saidmovable member by fluid pressure due to the running of the engine, andoperating connections from said movable member for adjusting theatmosphereaccess-regulating means of the radiator, said operatingconnections comprising tWo relatively sliding parts, one positivelyconnected With the engine pressure device and the other positivelyconnected With the atmosphere-access-controlling device; a catch forlocking said relatively sliding parts together for movement as a unit inthe action of the engine pressure device, anda temperature-responsivedevice exposed to engine temperature and operatively associated Withsaid catch for effecting said engagement of the sliding parts uponpredetermined rise of temperature.

8. In combination with an internal combustion engine radiator and meansfor controlling atmosphere access eXteriorly thereof, a deviceconsisting of a chambered element having a. movable Wall portion andadapted to be enlarged and reduced in fluid capacity for moving saidmovable Wall member and to be normally at reduced capacity, operatingconnections from said movable Wall part to theatmosphere-access-controlling means of the radiator, means connectingsaid chain bered element with a source of alternating higher and lowerengine pressures, and means in said connection for restricting the fluidflow to said chambered element.

4. In combination With an internal combustion engine radiator and meansfor controlling atmosphere access to the exterior thereof, a deviceconsisting of a chambered element having a movable Wall portion andadapted to be enlarged and reduced in fluid capacity for moving saidmovable Wall member and to be normally at reduced capacity; operatingconnections from saiid movable Wall part to theatmosphere-access-controlling means of the radiator; means connectingsaid chambered element with a source of alternating higher and lovverengine pressures, and a valve device controlling the connection of thechambered element with said source of' pressures arranged forrestricting the fluid flovv both into and out of said chambered devicewith less restriction of flovv in the first direction than in thesecond.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Chicago, Illinois,this th day of November, 1929.

1WILLIAM A. EDWARDS.

